United by Sacrifice: Coleman vets memorial closer to completion

Midland Daily News: United by Sacrifice: Coleman vets memorial closer to completion
The installation of a Korean War statue completes the first phase of the Coleman Veterans Memorial.

It stands alongside statues representing soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War, WWII and the Global War on Terror.

Coleman Veterans Memorial Committee President Randy Zylman said the second phase will include a female statue representing a modern day soldier and a WWI statue.

Fundraising efforts for the "United by Sacrifice" memorial began in the summer of 2010 when members of the newly formed Coleman Veterans Memorial Committee, as well as community members, raised more than $20,000 in one night. Each statue costs more than $80,000.

The idea for the memorial began after Zylman’s son, Casey Zylman, was killed in Iraq May 25, 2007. He was a Corporal in the Second Platoon, Apache Troop 3-4 Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division.

Instead of creating a memorial solely in honor of his son, Zylman and his family chose to build one honoring all soldiers.

Paying tribute to Casey, the first phase of the memorial statues are exact replicas of the 25th Infantry Division memorial located on the Schofield Army Base in Hawaii.

Coleman Veterans Memorial Committee Vice President Jim Johnston designed the plan for the area surrounding the memorial in Coleman. He said that this area of the memorial also conveys a meaningful message.

"Whoever designs them wanted it to have a special meaning," he said.

Zylman said the committee still needs to raise a lot of funds to begin the second phase, the installation of the female statue representing a modern day soldier and a WWI statue.

Coleman Community Schools are hosting a "Save your Change" fundraiser for the memorial. A class from each school that collects the most change will win a pizza party. The fundraiser ends Dec. 8.

The Coleman Veterans Memorial Committee is made up of local residents. With help from the 25th Infantry Division Memorial Fund, the committee created a special project to raise and collect funds for the Coleman Veterans Memorial. The 25th Infantry Division Memorial Fund is an IRS Certified 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information or to purchase a commemorative brick paver, a T-shirt or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.colemanveteransmemorial.org